Turquoise
by BlackRoseMii
Summary: Lyra has always loved the sea, more than anything else. Her parents decide her future, her peers avoid her for being a rebel. She has enough of her current life, that doesn't seem to change, no matter what she does. Until she finds someone at the sea. Someone who might change her entire life. But will it be to the better, or worse? (Rated M for later chapters)
1. Chapter 1

It was always about the sea. There was no other place she could feel at peace. No scolding adults, no high-pitched laughter, no one to disturb her thoughts. Only the breeze and the steady crashing of water on stone. And some seagulls.

At times like these, Lyra spend every possible minute on the beach. She either collected seashells to make pendants out of them or simply sat down and let her bare feet soak up the wet sand. This time, she shouted. She yelled at the sea as if she could throw all of her problems away along with her breath. She didn't expect the sea to respond, she never did. It just swallowed all of her anger and sadness and stayed silent. Yes, water really is the best listener.

After her scream died off and the echo was already miles away, she sat down, pulled her legs closer to her and hid her face between her knees. Tears where forming in her eyes and rolled down until the drops hit the fabric of her dress. Everything was silent besides the squawking of the seagulls on the shores, the waves and a low giggle.

Wait, what? A giggle? The sea doesn't laugh! That must be-!

The realization made her spin her head in all directions just to see that there was nothing. Nothing but sand, stone and the sea.

„Must've been some seagulls..." She wiped a tear away after she settled back on the sand.

„Nope, not really."

No, that was a voice! Someone watched her! She stood up this time and tried to look for the guy disturbing her alone-time. He'd get a beating if she'd find him.

„Where are you? Show yourself!"

But not a single stone moved. Even the sea seemed to ease its breathing. Lyra stopped searching for something that probably wasn't even here. She let her shoulders fall in resignation and sighed. The stress must be playing tricks on her mind now.

With a muffled thud she resumed her previous position and stared at the endless water shining in the afternoon sun. Silence coated her again.

„That was a pretty awesome scream just now. You've got good lungs." The voice surprised her yet again and she looked for its source despite knowing there was nothing.

„That's not where I am." The voice giggled again. Lyra looked back at the sea and came to a conclusion.

„Oh no, don't tell me the sea is talking to me now. I must be going crazy."

„You're almost right, but I'm not the sea."

„Then where are you?! And who are you?!" She stood up again in a panic and was getting angrier. At the person she was hearing, for not showing himself and at herself, for actually responding to something that might not even be there.

„I-I can't tell you." The teasing voice started to sound a little shy now.

„Don't screw with me! You know, it's not polite to talk to somebody like that. Show yourself!"

No response. Lyra waited a few more seconds before she let herself fall into the sand again.

„I must be really going crazy, I'm already talking to myself now..."

For some reason, she wanted to hear the voice again. Next to its teasing it sounded very soothing. Like someone she could talk to for ages. Just like the sea, rough, strong and calming.

„Why are you crying?" There it was again.

„That's none of your business."

„Maybe, but I can't see a pretty girl like you cry. I want to cheer you up."

„Tch, what would you gain from cheering me up?"

„I'd see your smile."

Lyra stopped responding to this, ignoring the slight heat that was rising in her cheeks. She thought of actually telling him her story. What would she have to lose?

„It's about my parents..."

„What about them?"

„They're always telling me what to do, what to think. I don't have any word in stuff that concerns me! I have my own opinion!"

„Why don't you just tell them?"

„I've already tried. Several times. But they don't listen to me! 'It's for the good of the family' they say."

„Well, if it's for something good, why are you going against it?"

„Because they don't even consider what I think! They treat me like property! Not a human! Argh, why am I even talking to you? You're just a voice in my head, you wouldn't understand."

„You're right. I don't understand. So please, explain."

„What's there to explain? It's a typical parents-daughter conflict."

„What is typical parents-daughter conflict?"

„How dumb are you?!"

„I'm not dumb. I'm just not accostumed to human society."

„What?"

„You see, I'm..." The voice stopped mid-sentence, as if it was thinking carefully about what it said next.

„I'm not human."

„I guessed as much. You're just a voice in my head, so you're nothing more than a hallucination."

„No! I really exist! I just-"

„Then show yourself already." This was getting old, Lyra didn't even care about sounding annoyed anymore.

„Promise you won't freak out."

„I'll think about it. Once I see you."

„No. You have to promise me now."

She sighed. „Okay, okay, I promise."

The voice stayed quite for a while and nothing but the sea moved. And then, there was a light splashing in the direction the voice came from. She expected pretty much anything, a hideous man, a creepy old guy, even a talking animal would be fine! But that was...

Realization hit her like a rock her size and she jumped on her feet. Her legs were almost giving up the moment they hit the ground, but the fear made her body too tense. She was about to run away, but the..._creature_ in front of her held out a hand to calm her.

„Wait, wait! You said you wouldn't freak out!"

„B-but, you're a...a merman!"


	2. Chapter 2

Mermaids, also called sirens, are mythical creatures living in the sea. They have a half fish-half human body and are said to be stunningly beautiful. Some consider their existence to be just a legend, others claim to have seen them. But everything they say, aren't romantic tales. They are beasts, that eat human flesh. They hypnotize sailors with their beauty and their songs, leading them into dangerous waters. And when the boat finally crashes on the reefs, they pull them underwater to drown and eat them. Not many made it back, but those who did told the same stories. Mermaids are considered deadly and thus must be feared.

This was the first thing that crossed Lyras mind. The creature in front of her was a mermaid – or rather a merman. Every muscle in her body was prepared to escape, yet the view of him was too fascinating. Despite his obvious abnormality - his tail – he was quite dashing. His body was definitely one to be worth looking at and his skin was slightly tanned. He had bronze hair that had probably never seen a comb and it was long enough to fall over his shoulders. One side of his fringe was loosely tied together with a leather cord. There were scales all over his body that glimmered in a strange hue of turquoise, just like his eyes. He would've been her type, if he wouldn't have been a merman.

While Lyra had to overcome the shock, he leaned a little more forward on the rock he hid behind just a few seconds ago and held out a hand in a pleading motion.

„Please, I just-" She didn't let him finish the sentence. Without any warning she spun around and started running. But she didn't come very far when she heard a loud thud and a muffled growl. She looked back just to see that the merman had fallen from the rock as he was trying to stop her. He spat out some sand and tried to support himself on his arms. The sight of that – a supposedly deadly creature crawling on the dry ground like a fish – was just too much to stay serious. She let out a laughter and didn't stop, even when tears started to form in her eyes. She wiped them away and tried to regain her calm again.

„I-I'm sorry. I didn't want to laugh at you."

„Nah, that's okay. I did want to cheer you up after all."

„Even if it means making a fool of yourself?"

„Sacrifices have to be made." He giggled slightly and let his tail wave in satisfaction. It was such a strange sight, but his smile told her he couldn't even harm a fly. She sat down again, but still made sure to keep her distance.

„So you decided to stay after all?"

„Yeah. But only if you stay were you are."

„I don't think I can come very far like that." He splashed around with his tail to support his statement, which made her laugh again.

„By the way, my name's Lyra. What about you?"

„I'm Turquoise."

„Well, I can see that. I asked for your name."

„No no, that _is_ my name!"

„You're named after a color?"

„Yes. You see, we don't really bother using names, so our parents just name us after the color of our scales."

„Really? That's...strange. I mean, do your parents care that less about you?"

„No." He laughed again. „But, it's a little more complicated than you think. We sirens are different from humans after all."

Without realizing it, Lyra's attention rose slowly. She has always been more on the curious side, but she knew when to stop. This time though, she dared to step into a more dangerous territory.

„Tell me about it."

„Err...you see..." The merman used one hand to support his head and thought about where to start, while looking up as if he'd find the answer in the sky.

„We have a different language than humans."

„How come I can understand you then?"

„We're also taught to speak your language. But most of the time we're...uh..." He was struggling to find the right words." „We're making noises."

„What? Like animals?"

„Yeah, exactly!"

„Care to teach me some?"

„How can I teach you noises? You won't be able to understand them, they don't have anything like a translation. They are more like an expression of emotion."

That wasn't the answer she wanted to hear. Once she wanted to know something, she wouldn't let go until she got a response.

One pouting stare met a slightly nervous one. In the end the defeated sighed.

„Okay, okay. Just one." And the victor smiled.

Turquoise cleared his throat and hesitated another few seconds, before he started with a low, almost unhearable rumbling. It grew in volume, but it didn't go louder than a loud whisper. It wasn't a rumble either, as Lyra suspected first, it was actually purring. A merman purring like a cat. As if his clumsiness wasn't enough.

He stopped shortly after she finished her thought.

„And what did this mean?"

He didn't answer right away. Instead he scratched the back of his head and looked away bashfully. He even blushed slightly.

„It's a sign of affection. It means something like 'I like you'."

Now it was Lyra who blushed, but she didn't look away. Her amazement didn't let her. She had heard so many stories of cruel and vicious beasts of the sea and how they slaughtered men. But this one didn't fit any stories she heard. He was different, almost human.

A small smile formed on her lips at the thought of befriending a supposedly lethal creature.

„Lyra, where are you?" Both of them winced at the unfamiliar voice calling for her.

„Oh shit, that's my mom. I'd better go back." Lyra jumped up and tried to remove as much sand as possible from her dress, while putting on her shoes at the same time. She was ready to go when Turquoise stopped her once again by calling her name.

„Will...will you come again tomorrow?"

She just smiled and nodded in response, before running back towards the village.


	3. Chapter 3

„Lyra! Where have you been? I've been looking for you all day!"

„Mom, could you please stop yelling?" Lyra covered her ears defiantly. She was used to it by now.

„Listen young woman, you can't just run away whenever you like to. You have duties to fulfill!"

„Like what? Training to be the perfect wife for a husband I'll never have?"

„Exactly! And even if you don't want it, you'll have to marry someday. Do you-!"

„-Want to die alone and poor?" The older woman was surprised by the defiant reaction of her daughter. She wanted to argue against it, but Lyra continued in a more angry tone, leaving her mother's jaw open.

„How many times do you want to tell me that? I don't need a husband and I won't be poor! I can work, I can protect myself! I don't want to end up dependant on anyone!"

„Lyra! You can't choose your future! Why don't you understand? We women aren't worth much in our society. You have to depend on others to lead a good life. I just want your best."

„The best for me would be that I can choose what's best for me! You're just pushing me on this path, because you were too weak to stand up for your own! I don't want to end up like you one day!"

Just when Lyra finished her sentence her mother's hand hit her and the echo of the slap stood between them for what felt like eternity. Slowly the pain on her cheek rose to her eyes and they threatend to tear up. She tried to swallow it away, but she was about to lose the battle. So instead, she ran, leaving her mother on the path leading to the village.

Lyra sprinted towards their home, passing by carriages loaded with all kinds of goods, the lively noise of the market and people she didn't even care about bumping into. Just when she arrived in her own room, the tears forced their way out of her eyes and she realized the heat of the swelling in her cheek.

Nobody ever saw her crying and she sure as hell wouldn't let them now. Lyra was different from the other girls, she always has been. Instead of playing with dolls, she tried to mess with the sheep herds. Instead of cooking and sewing, she taught herself how to hunt. And instead of submitting to rules and traditions, she rather got herself into all sorts of trouble whenever it was possible. She wasn't the kind of girl she was supposed to be – never wanted to be – because she knew how it could end up.

Her parents didn't love each other. Her mother had to marry her father, because of a dept her grandparents had. Even though her mother said she'd be okay, Lyra knows that's not the truth. It wasn't the life she wished for, it didn't make her happy. Even now, almost 20 years after the marriage, she could hear her mother cry from the livingroom when nobody was looking. That's the reason Lyra decided to take her future into her own hands.

She didn't remember when she fell asleep when she woke up cuddled in her bedfurs. Her body demanded more sleep, but she forced it to at least open her eyes. Her cheek felt strangely numb.

It was already dark in her room so she must have slept at least a few hours. Without moving she checked for any voices that might argue about her again. Nothing. A low growl in her stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten since this morning. Drowsy she staggered to her door and listened more closely. Not a single sound was heard, her parents must have been in bed already. She added a few more hours to her inner clock.

Lyra opened the door slowly, trying not to be too loud and almost stumbled down the stairs. There was a small plate of food on the ground in front of her. Against her expectations, her mother seemed to remember her good-for-nothing daughter after all. She decided to apologize to her the next day.

This wasn't their first fight, but she really shouldn't have said that last bit. With a small sigh, Lyra took the food and ate silently in her room, before she returned to her bed and spend the rest of the night only half asleep.

Morning came too early. Just when she was finally falling asleep, the sun reminded her of the harsh reality waiting for her outside. Still sleepy, she forced her sore body out of bed and down the stairs. Her father was already out on the fields, only her mother was busy with doing the chores. She didn't look up, which made the knot in Lyra's throat just worse and she felt the throbbing of her cheek again. Without saying anything she stood across the room behind her mother, struggling to find the right words. She inhaled just to be interrupted by the older woman, who stopped her actions, but didn't turn around.

„I know you didn't mean it. But you don't have to apologize, you're right after all. I never chose this life, but I can't change it anymore either. And exactly because I know how it is to live a life I didn't choose myself, I want you to have it better than me."

She turned around to look at her daughter, tears glittering in her eyes.

„I don't want to force you to anything, I just want to prepare you for what awaits you. You might want to live independant, but you also have to understand that there are limits we cannot surpass. Especially as a woman. I'm sure you'll find someone you'd want to spend your whole life with. It doesn't need to be now or in a year, but someday. And until that time comes, you're still just a child. So please, listen to me when I say I just want you to live a life I never had."

The whole time her mother spoke, Lyra had her gaze lowered. But now that she was standing in front of her, lifting her chin with her index finger, their eyes met and both of them were about to cry. And with a soft kiss on the forehead they ran down their cheeks.

The day seemed to progress slower than usual. Taking care of the chicken and cleaning the barn felt like an eternity. Not because of the talk this morning or the annoying teasing of her peers (which she successfully ignored), but because of the person she planned on meeting this afternoon. Her stomach protested a little at the thought of interacting with a merman, but the forbidden nature and the secrecy of that very action gave her a thrill she couldn't ignore.

She took a little detour to the beach to make sure no one followed her and called out his name when she arrived. There was no sign of him though. She tried it again, scanning the whole beach until she stopped at the rock he sat – or tried to sit – on yesterday. It took her a moment to see he was just next to it, lying on his back and his arms behind his neck. His breath was calm and steady, he was sleeping. She didn't want to wake him, so she approached the merman quietly and kneeled behind him, looking directly at him. Her heart was pounding in her chest when she saw him this close, she still had a different image of his kind in her mind. She stared at his features for a long time, taking in every detail of his face, his chest, even his tail. His scales were the most fascinating part of his body. They had multiple hues of turquoise mixed in them and Lyra wondered how they felt like. Unconsciously she reached out at the ones on his cheek.

„Do you like what you see?"

His sudden voice made her startle and she hid her hand like a child hiding something forbidden.

„Y-you were awake?" He opened his eyes and grinned cheekily.

„The whole time."

„Why didn't you answer when I called you?"

„I wanted to surprise you." He grinned even more and splashed around with his tail, throwing a few waterdrops in her direction. She held her hand up in defense and laughed.

„I see you're feeling better today. Did you make up with your parents?"

The laugh died off and was followed by a sad smile.

„Yeah. My mom and me had a fight first, but we made up this morning."

„That's great. Fighting family isn't a good thing."

„Have you ever fought with your parents?" He shrugged.

„Nah. We grow up to be independant very soon, so there isn't much to fight over." Lyra let out a sigh.

„Independence...Sounds nice."

„Not as nice as you think it is."

„Why?"

„Because we don't have a family like you humans. After we come of age, our parents leave us and we have to survive alone. I'd love to have some company once in a while."  
>„You guys really are different from us."<p>

Now it was Turquoise who smiled sadly and looked away. Lyra on the contrary was excited.

„That's why I want to know about you. How you live, how you think, everything!"

He was surprised at first, but smiled soon after.

„Only when you teach me a few things about your culture."

„Deal."


	4. Chapter 4

„What is this?"

„That's called bread."

„It's dry..." He looked at the leftover breakfast Lyra brought today.

„Hey! I might not be the best cook, but it's not that dry!...Is it?"

„Well, it's definitely more dry than fish." He examined it again, turning it in all directions before he finally decided to give it back.

„Of course. Fish isn't made of wheat after all."

„You humans are weird. Why do you use food to make other food? Why don't you just eat it right away?"

„To make it eadable." Turquoise still didn't understood, so Lyra inhaled to start her explanation.

„And to make it more tasty." She hold out the half-eaten bread as an example.

„You see, most of the ingredients for this aren't really tasty alone. In fact, eating raw eggs is gross. So we mix them, bake it and eat it that way." Turquoise held out a hand to interrupt her.

„I have to disagree. Seagull eggs are delicious."

„Eww! Don't tell me you eat them raw!" Now it was her turn to be disgusted.

„Of course we do. We eat everything raw."

Lyra shuffled a few inches away from him, but still stayed within his reach.

„What?" He laughed at her reaction.

„We can't 'cook' underwater after all. Or did you ever see a fire underwater?" He gestured to the cold fireplace she made the day before, when she explained him how humans kept themselves warm.

They have been meeting each other for a week now and Turquoise's curiosity knew no end. He's been asking her question after question, from 'What are these things of wood, that are pulled by horses?' to 'How do humans spend their days?' One of the most embarrassing so far was the question about clothing.

He hid behind his rock like everyday until he was sure the visitor really was Lyra. When he saw her he jumped out of the water to sit on the rock (which became his favourite spot). They talked about various things, mostly about what Lyra did that day, until he had a request.

„Hey, how about we go swimming?"

„What?!"

„Why not? Don't tell me you can't."

„Th-that's not it. I-..."

„So where's the problem? Come on! Take those things off!" He leaned forward to tug at her vest, but she slapped his hand away and stood up to go a few steps away from him.

„No! I'm not going to take anything off!" He was startled at her sudden reaction and blinked a few times before his never-fading smile was replaced with a sad expression that made Lyra feel guilty. She lowered her defense a bit and tried to sound calming.

„Sorry. I should've told you sooner. It's not decent to undress in front of a man you're not married to." He seemed to accept the apology and regained his curious look.

„Why?"

„Er...that's...because..." She tried to find the right words, but his stare wasn't really helping. That wasn't going to be a topic she'd like.

„You see, we humans have to cover us in clothing to hide our bodies."

„Why should you hide it? I'm sure you have a nice one." Heat rose in her cheeks and she was about to yell at him again, but seeing his innocent expression reminded her that he couldn't possible know about this.

„Th-that aside, we don't simply present our bodies like mermaids. It's indecent and only reserved for the one you love." For just a second a sort of sadness shadowed in his eyes, but it was almost unnoticable that Lyra wasn't sure about it.

„Does that mean I'm indecent, too?"

„Well, I guess it's okay for, since you're a man."

„So men have different rights than women?" She frowned over the thought of explaining that.

„Yes, they have. Anyway, clothing is good for another thing."

Turquoise realized that Lyra was trying to avoid that topic and he let her be.

„Clothes keep us warm. We'd be freezing to death if we'd run around naked." She paused, lokked at him and came to a question herself.

„Speaking of which, aren't you cold?"

„Nope. It's summer after all."

„But what do you do in winter?" He shrugged.

„Swimming more south or hiding in underwater caves. But even though, we sirens don't really feel the cold." She was thinking about how that could be possible, but no matter to what solution she came, the thought of wanting to test how warm his skin was remained. In the end, she decided not to do it and instead showed him what other means humans had to warm themselves by creating a fireplace with a few stray twigs laying around.

She took the last bite of her bread and put the cloth it was wrapped around back into her pocket.

„Well, how about you then?"

He was laying on the sand with his arms behind his head. When Lyra broke the silence he rose to support himself on his arms and looked at her.

„Huh?"

„I have told you so many things about humans now, it's time you tell me a bit about mermaids."

He didn't respond right away, in fact, it didn't seem like he wanted to respond at all. Instead he shifted his weight from one arm to the other, before he finally sat up, drew his tail closer to him as if he had legs under all those scales and rested his arms on what humans would call knees. A postion Lyra used to have when she wanted to be alone.

„What do you know about us?"

„That you seduce humans and eat us. That mermaids are cruel beasts and extremely dangerous." She chose her words wisely and tried not to sound too hateful, in hopes he didn't take it personally. It didn't change anything though. He let out a sad chuckle and continued to gaze into the sea.

„I'd love to say you're wrong, but that would be a lie. We really are beasts and we do eat human flesh." Lyra expected this, but was more shocked than she wanted to be. Unconsciously her body tensed and wanted to move away, but she resisted.

„Hate me if you want, I'm used to it by now. But you have to believe me when I say that I won't harm you. It's not like we're completely driven by instinct. We do have some self-control." Now he was facing her again and the sadness faded a bit from his smile, though the seriousness didn't. It helped her relax.

„And besides, I'm different."

„Different? In what way?"

„Other sirens don't care about humans. They aren't interested in how they live or think. I do though."

„Why?" He hesitated and looked out to the sea again.

„Because I'd like to be like you. I want to know what it means to have a family and friends. Or maybe I'm just sick of being called a monster..." The last sentence was just a whisper, it wasn't intended to be heard, but Lyra did anyway. It made her sad and she started to realize just how human Turquoise actually was. He didn't match her image of a merman anymore. Something inside her changed and she tried to identify the feeling that grew inside her. Was it sympathy?

She shuffled closer to him with the intend to cheer him up. She didn't know how, but she could at least try it. Her hand moved towards him, her fingers twitching with nervousness. He must have realized her intend and lookes back at her with a smile. She was about to pull away, but he took her hand instead, folding his fingers into hers.

The first thing she felt was his warmth. For someone who spend his entire life underwater, his skin felt incredibly warm. Not hot, but warm enough to be called cozy. And then there was this tingle. Like little sparks that formed between their hands, crawling up her arm and down her spine until it ended somewhere around her bellybutton. It gave her goosebumps.

They sat like that for minutes just smiling at each other and enjoying the feeling. She didn't realize how late it was when a ray of light brushed her face and made her blink. The sun was already setting.

„Oh no! It's already that late?" This woke her from the dream-like moment and she jerked her hand away as if the sparks just turned into a fire. She started to blush while she tried to remember what just happend. They didn't do anything forbidden, but it was definitely not something you'd do with just anyone. She jumped on her feet and tried not to look him in the eyes while collecting her stuff.

„Er...s-sorry. I think I should go now." She turned to him again and held out her index finger to warn him.

„And you'd better tell me more about you tommorrow!" He nodded.

„Only if you promise to swim with me." Lyra wanted to protest, but decided not to. She planned on keep him waiting by saying he didn't tell her when to swim with him. With a last nod she ran back to her village with a smile on her face and the strange feeling still lingering in her heart. She didn't look back. If she had done it, she could've seen how Turquoise's smile was long gone and there was a grief in his eyes nobody would've understood.


	5. Chapter 5

She liked the sea. Yes, she wasn't even afraid of it once. Neither was she afraid of boats or swimming. But this was different. The boat she was on wasn't exactly new, but it was at least be able to hold one person. And the sea didn't seem to roughen so far. The shore was still in sight, she could swim there if the boat decided to sink. All that wasn't something she couldn't handle. But there was one thing – one person – that made her stomach protest in unease.

She knew he was there somewhere. He helped her push the boat into the water after all. But once it was able to float on the water surface, he dived down and didn't came up ever since then. Lyra made a note in her mind to ask him about his lungs later. The thought of him cicling around her, waiting for the right moment to strike made her even more nervous.

„Hey! That's not funny Turquoise! Just come out!" No sign.

„I'm feeling like an idiot, talking to myself..."

At that moment she thought she saw something shining underwater. Maybe his scales. But it was gone as soon as it appeared. She leaned forward to look for him and almost fell when the boat suddenly moved. An embarrassing high scream came out of her throat. She turned behind her and saw his scaled and amused face. He laughed at her.

„Are you nuts?! I could've fallen!"

„You said you could swim, so where's the problem?"

_You're the problem _is what she wanted to say, but she swallowed it before it could leave her throat.

They have been seeing each other for almost two weeks now and even though he never did harm her, the feeling of danger still lingered in the back of her head.

„Hey, you promised you'd swim with me. And if it's because of your clothes, I don't mind. I'm used to see mermaids naked, so a human shouldn't be a problem either." She gave him a sour look.

„"But it is for me. You woulnd't understand."

That hit. He didn't like it when she talked like that, remembering him of their difference. He dived a little deeper, burying half of his face in the water and stayed silent. It made Lyra want to apologize, but she couldn't even start. There was a sparkle in his eyes, that told her he was up to something. And in that very moment he started shaking the boat up and down. First gently and then harder, until he had to put all of his weight into it. Lyra digged her nails deeper into the wood.

„Stop it! Are you trying to sink the boat?!" His grin was enough to answer her question.

The inevitable happened and the boat turned upside down, taking Lyra by surprise and taking her breath away. Out of reflex she used all of her strengh to swim back to the surface. After she regained her orientation, she looked directly at Turquoise's amused and victorious face.

„Why did you do that?! I told you I'm not going to swim with you!"

„You nodded when I asked you. That was clearly a yes."

„That was to make you stop asking!" He gave her a dissapointed look and pouted.

„Argh! You're so childish!"

„I'd call it playful," he said with a mischievous grin, before her dived down again. Lyra couldn't see where he was and it made her nervous. Nothing happened for a while and she was about to swim back to the boat, but something tugged at her leg midway and pulled her into the water. It was too sudden to prepare. She wanted to swim up to take a breath, but at the moment she reached the surface, it pulled again. The circle of being pulled down and swimming up was repeated again and again and her heart raced faster with each time. He sight became blurry from the lack of oxygen and her body lost its strengh to fight back. Her last thought was regret. Regret that she dared to befriend her murderer. Then everything went black.

In the darkness she started to hear a whisper. She wasn't able to make out the words or what tone they had. It was just a whisper. And then a familiar tinkling on her cheeks, followed by lips pressing on hers. This touch was something completely new. She forgot about the hands holding her head and tried to concentrate on the feeling of the kiss. It had the same sparks, the same warmth, yet it was different. The panic from before was gone and she felt save under his touch. Suddenly she was able to breathe again. No, he made her breathe. He filled her lungs with the oxygen she needed. Slowly she opened her eyes, ignoring the burning the salty water gave her. She stared right into his eyes. Turquoise, unreal, familiar eyes, his pupil formed into slits she had never seen before. But they weren't scary. They were fascinating, almost hypnotizing. And then she heard the whisper again. This time more clearly. There weren't any words, just sounds. Thogether they formed a melody. In that moment Lyra realized that it was Turquoise who sang. Not the way humans sang, but how mermaids did. It was their hypnotizing singing.

Even though she wasn't on the edge of drowning anymore, her body still had no strengh to move. She was just a body floating underwater, her life in the hands of the creature she should fear.

Turquoise broke the kiss, but the sparks lingered on her lips. She wanted more – wether it was more oxygen she needed or the feeling of his lips, she didn't know – but her body refused to move. His hands went from her face to her waist and pulled her up to the surface. She gasped to make up for the time without air underwater. Her breathing was still hard, but slowly she felt a little calmer and she realized how long her struggle went. The sun was already setting and the boat was gone. Right after she finished gathering her thoughts, Turquoise showed up in front of her. He was breathing heavily, not because of the lack of oxygen, but because he was in a panic as well. His eyes regained their more human form.

He put a wet strand of her out of his face and looked at her in worry, hesitant to touch her.

„Lyra! A-are you okay?" She wasn't able to speak yet, so she nodded.

„You aren't hurt? Do you feel pain?" She shook her head. It still hurt a bit to breathe, but that probably wasn't the kind of pain he meant.

„I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to -! I-I mean..." She hold out her hands to calm him and took another deep breath.

„I don't care what you mean. Just...don't do it again." He nodded fast.

„Okay. But...you're not mad at me?"

That was a good question. She thought, after almost drowning because of him, she would more than just be mad at him. But that wasn't the case. She just felt relieved and exhausted.

She shook her head in response and tried to put on a weak smile.

„Anyway, I'll get you out of the water or you'll catch your death."

That said, he put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Feeling his warmth made her heart race again and she felt heat rising in her cheeks.

She couldn't see how far it was to the shore, but it felt like it wasn't that far. Probably because Turquoise was a fast swimmer, even when swimming carefully. They soon reached the beach and Lyra was able to crawl the few meters in the shallow water until she finally felt dry sand under her hands again. Once she was far away enough to not be in the water anymore, she lay down on her back, closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing. He crawled beside her and supported himself on his arms. He was out of breath as well.

After a few minutes of silence both of their breaths eased.

„I'm really sorry about this. I...wasn't thinking. I just wanted to play with you, scare you a little bit. But I...somehow...went a little too far."

„Yeah, no kidding." She opened her eyes and wanted to see his face, but he looked away. His face was full of regret and it was painful to see him like that.

„Hey, don't worry. I know you meant no harm. Just be a little more careful next time."

„Next time?" He faced her again and saw her smiling.

„Do you really think you could scare me away with something like this? I've done more dangerous things like that." The tension was finally broken and both of them started to laugh.

She wasn't going to leave him after all this time. She knew from the very beginning that it would be dangerous, but that's exactly the kind of thrill Lyra always loved.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

„Oh my goodness, Lyra! What happend to you?!" Before she could reply, her mother hurried to a closet, took a fresh towel and wrapped it around her daugther.

„...Fell into the water."

She was still soaked from her _little game _with Turquoise, but she didn't notice the cold anymore that creeped up her bones. She was in a daze ever since she left the beach. Both because of the shock, but also because of something she couldn't describe.

„Just what are you doing, child? You're always getting yourself into trouble." Her mother sighed and lead her to a chair.

„I'm sorry..." Lyra said emotionless. While drying her daughters hair and collecting new clothes, her mother continued.

„Where have you been anyway? We've been looking for you! You know it's the season of harvesting and we need every hand we get."

„I'm sorry..." The older woman stopped her actions and sighed. She realized something was off, so she sat down next to her.

„Lyra, if there is anything you want to tell me..."

„There's nothing, mom."

„Really?"

„Really." Her mother stared at her with worried eyes, as if she wanted to find the answer she was looking for in them. Lyra stared back to make sure she wouldn't doubt her lie. It wasn't easy to hold up the gaze. In the end, her mother broke the stare and sighed again.

„Whatever it is, just know that you can come talk to me whenever you want to." Lyra nodded and was relieved that she didn't have to blow her and Turquoises secret.

It was already dark outside when her father came home. He wasn't the type to be extremely quiet, but Lyra didn't notice him until he slammed the door shut. He waited a little in the doorway to look at his daughter with a displeased face, before he seated himself at the table across of her.

„Ah, does the little lady finally find the time to come home?"

„Please, don't you see condition she's in? Think about her once in a while."

„I _am _thinking about her. Thinking about what kind of trouble she got in this time."

„But-!" Her mother wanted to continue, but was interrupted by Lyra.

„No, it's okay, mom. He's right."

„Finally coming to your senses? Took you long enough.I don't know where you're always going to and I don't really care about it either. But it has to stop. You won't be going anywhere for a while. Not until you finish all the worked that piled up from the times you were gone. Got that?"

„Yes..."

„Then go up and change your clothes. I don't have the time to have a sick child not being able to work."

Without any protest, she followed her fathers order, took the fresh clothes her mother set aside and went upstairs. It wasn't the first time her father scolded her. She should have been used to it by now. But the tears ran down her face anyway. Just after she finished changing her clothes, she realized the reason. It was her punishment. _Not being able to go away _meant _not being able to meet Turquoise. _It hit her harder than it was supposed to. They didn't knew each other for very long and there wasn't any special bond between them, besides the forbidden friendship. They wouldn't be seperated for too long either. So why did her heart hurt so much? Why did it feel like she has just been stabbed?

She was trying to wipe away the tears, but they didn't stop no matter what she did. In the end, she gave up and submitted to them. She threw herself on the bed and stayed like this until her eyes started to burn.

She didn't know what time it was when her mother entered the room. Quietly she sat down on the side of the bed and caressed her daughters hair.

„Don't cry. You know how your father is. He's just worried about you, but doesn't know how to show it."

Without lifting her head she muffled into her pillow.

„I know. That's not it."

„Then what is it?"

She just shook her head in responds. Lyra knew how much her mother was worried and that it pained to see her like this, but she couldn't tell her about Turquoise. She couldn't risk it. Who'd know what would happen to her if they found out. Let alone to him. So she had to keep quiet about it, even from her mother.

A lot of work waited for her the next days. Besides the usual work of tending to the chickens and helping her mothers doing the chores, her father gave her enough work to be occupied for the entire week. Mending clothes, cleaning out the barn, working on the fields – she had been neglecting all of that. She hadn't had a single calm moment to breathe. But she wasn't able to concentrate on any of it. All her thoughts were directed to the sea. And to him. Was he waiting for her? Did he think she'd never come back, because of what he did the other day? Would she still be able to see him after she'd be done with her work?

Her lack of attention made her careless and she cut herself by accident while mending a dress.

„You haven't been paying attention lately. Is something the matter?" Her mother sat in front of her, working on a ripped shirt.

„Err...no. It's okay."

Another few seconds of silence, but she kept her promise not to ask further. It stayed quiet for a while and Lyra found herself back in thoughts. Her chest grew tighter and there was this strange feeling of longing again. Longing for his voice, longing for his skin, longing for his kiss. She wanted to know what this feeling was. If Turquoise had been a normal human, she would've asked her mother about it, but that wasn't possible. Unless she would be able to leave out a few details.

She stopped her actions and cleared her throat to get her mothers attention.

„Mom, I've got a question."

„What is it?"

„Do you know that feeling, when you want to see someone more than you thought you would?"

„You mean missing someone?"

„Not quiet. Or at least not like you'd miss a normal friend." That caught her mothers interest. She set aside her work and leaned forward.

„Is there someone special you miss? Is he the reason you were gone every afternoon?"

Absentmindly Lyra nodded. Just after she let her mothers suspicion sink in, she got alarmed.

„H-how do you know it's a man?!"

Her mother laughed at her and relaxed a bit.

„Dear, I know it from your reaction. You said he's more than a normal friend and the way your mind is always somewhere else. So?"

„S-so what?"

„Who is he?"

She didn't plan on answering that question, she actually hoped it would never come. But she had no choice other than lying.

„Ah, well...He's not from out village."

„He's a traveller then?"

„Y-yeah."

The older woman waited for more, but Lyra wasn't sure how much information on him would be save to talk about. Her mother understood that and gave up.

„And he seems to be your little secret. Is he at least nice?" His personality was something save to discuss. Lyra nodded with a smile on her face.

„A little childish though, he likes to play. And he's very curious."

„Sounds like a nice guy then."

„Yes, he is." She got lost in thought again, smiling while images of him passed through her mind. She heard her mother giggle.

„Oh dear, seems like you've fallen for him."

„What?"

„You're in love, child. You love this man."

The words slowly sank into her mind, working their way to her brain. It took her some time to realize their meaning. But once they settled, heat rose in her cheeks, making her blush. No, that couldn't be. That just could not be. She wanted to reply something, but before she could do so, there was noise coming from outside. Louder than usual and more excited. Something had happend. Both women jumped up and opened the door. People were running towards the little port and when she and her mother arrived there as well, thes saw the reason for it. The ship that was supposed to come back the next day, came back torn to pieces, just barely floating on the water. A single fisherman crawled out of the wreck. He didn't look any better than the piece of wood that brought him here. Other men came to his side to help him stand. Once they got a save hold of him, he started to mumble some incomprehensible words. The only thing that was clear, was:

„The ship was attacked."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

„It's the third time this year and it's not even fall!" The first man said.

„We have to do something about this, it can't go on!" Another one added.

„Deserters, pirates, no matter who!"

„No!" The fisherman tried to raise his voice, still weak from the tragedy.

„Th-those weren't pirates. They weren't even humans! Th-they were...monsters! Terrifying creatures of the sea! Mermaids!"

Silence filled the tavern, that was used for village meetings. Even though women weren't allowed to join those meetings, today was a special case. Everyone wanted to know what happend. Lyra and her mother were able to get a good place outside an open window.

„Mermaids? I know you must've gone through a lot, but mermaids are just a legend. Your mind must be playing tricks on you."

„They exist!" From the cluster of men arrived an old man, one of the village elders, supported by one of his grandchildren.

„They exist, I say. They aren't legends."

„Elder, please. You're old, you don't know what you're talking about."

„I might be old, but my memories don't fail me. I have seen them, back when I was just a young man. They were hiding in the shadows, waiting for a time to strike. Their songs hypnotized our men and made them forget reason. They led us to the reefs and before we knew it, we crashed and our boat began to sink. Those who didn't die from hitting the rocks were drowned or eaten alive. It was a massacre. The water was dyed bloodred and not a single man made it out alive. I was able to escape, but..." he hold out his left arm, presenting only a stump. „...not without sacrificing my hand to those beasts." A quiet murmur went through the crowd and grew louder until the major spoke up. He had been quiet the whole time.

„Wether or not those attackers truly are mermaids, we cannot stand by and do nothing. We need to take action."

„But what'll we do?"

„That we'll discuss later. First, tend to the poor man and everyone who isn't in the counsel will go back to work right now!"

Even though Lyra had listened to the story the whole time and knew that mermaids really existed, she couldn't imagine how others saw them. To them, mermaids were ruthless beasts, but they never met someone like Turquoise. A friendly, curious, _human _merman. One that wouldn't harm anyone. Unless...

The moment where he almost drowned her shadowed over her mind, reminding her of what he was capable of. Maybe the way he played his _game _was actually the way creatures like him killed their prey. The thought of that made Lyra shudder. At the same time though, she remembered how he saved her, how he kissed her. It made her blush slightly and when she recalled what her mother said earlier, she actually had to stop walking on her way home.

Did she really love him? She wasn't really sure what she felt for him. She never thought about it. Until now. Sure, it definitely wasn't a normal friendship. Because of his origin and because of the secrecy. But would she still be with him if she didn't feel more for him? The answer was clear: No. She wouldn't take such a risk just for the thrill of doing something forbidden. She enjoyed being with him. She enjoyed their fleeting little touches. And she enjoyed their kiss. She was in love with him.

But realizing that made her punishment much worse. She wanted to see him – to tell him how she felt – but she couldn't. A single tear escaped her eyes.

„I'll be covering for you."

„What?" The two women were standing in the kitchen, preparing tonights dinner. It wasn't much, but enough to fill three stomachs.

„I told you I'd cover you, if you want to go to him."

„R-really?!"

„Of course. Look, you have finally found someone you decided to love and I don't want to stand between you and your choice. I want you to have it better than me. That's why I'll help you."

Lyra was speechless and thankful at the same time. With a big grin on her face and a „Thank you!" she swung her arms around her mother. Both of them laughed.

„But don't forget: be careful. Don't let yourself be seen and don't do anything disgraceful. It'd be a scnadal if you'd do _certain things_ with him without being married."

She knew what her mother meant and it made her face red, but then she remembered that an important part of him wasn't exactly human. Though she made a note in her mind to ask about that. Just out of mere curiosity, of course.

Her mother pushed her a little to be able to look into her eyes.

„Okay. Tomorrow, after you're done with tending to the animals, you can go to him. And if anyone is asking for you, I'll tell them I send you to get herbs for me. Be sure that nobody follows you and be sure to get back before dusk. You got that?"

Lyra nodded rapidly.

She was excited at her possibility to sneak away. So much she wasn't able to sleep properly. But she didn't care. The next day couldn't come faster. And she never worked faster. Soon it was early afternoon and she was ready to go. She quickly informed her mother and then was on her way down to the beach. She took the usual path through the woods, it was the savest she found, and finally arrived, just to see that no one was there. Her heart felt like it was torn apart and her whole body was as heavy as stone. She fell on her knees. It seemed like Turquoise thought her absence was because of him and that she'd never return. Tears started to roll down her face.

In that very moment she heard a voice. A familiar voice like the sea, calling for her. When she looked up more tears formed in her eyes, because of the person sitting on the rock. It was Turquoise.

„Lyra? Why are you crying?" he said extremely worried. She didn't reply, instead she jumped on her feet and right into his arms, knocking both of them off the rock.

„Hey, what's wrong? What happend?" Her crying and sniffing made it hard to understand her words.

„I thought you were gone. I thought you wouldn't wait for me anymore. I thought you'd hate me now."

To Lyras surprise, Turquoise started to laugh.

„God, Lyra! I'd never hate you. Why would you think that?"

„Because I didn't come back." He stopped, but his smile didn't vanish. He spoke softly and calm.

„Of course I was sad when you didn't came back. I thought you'd hate me for what I've done. But I've been here everyday even before I met you and didn't have any reason not to be here again. And besides, I still hoped for you coming back."

He looked her straight in the eyes and they stayed quiet for a while. Lyra lay down her head on his chest again, enjoying his embrace and the little sparks between their skin. His breathing was even and she could hear his heartbeat. Her own heart calmed until both had the same rythm. She thought Turquoise fell asleep until he spoke again.

„Why have you been away?"

„I got punished. I wasn't allowed to leave the village, because I ignored my work and came here instead."

„I see. So you've finished your work today?"

„No, I sneaked out."

He made a snorting sound and grinned, but his grin faltered when Lyra continued.

„With the help of my mom."

„How much does she know?" His voice sounded alarmed. She knew what he meant and lifted her head to look him in the eyes.

„Don't worry, I haven't told her everything!"

„What does she know?" he repeated, more tense this time.

„I've only told her I met someone outside the village. I didn't tell her that you're a merman."

The silence that followed made her nervous – even a little scared – because she didn't know what he would reply. After some time he sighed and relaxed.

„So our secret is still save." She nodded and relaxed as well.

Quietly, as if he was talking to himself, he added.

„I wouldn't have been able to take it if I couldn't see you again."

„Me neither. Because..."

„I love you." They said at the same time.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Smooth, thin, yet strong enough to be able not to break so easily. Like porcellain, only warmer, livelier. That's how Lyra imagined his scales to feel. Now that they were closer than ever, she didn't hesitate to touch him anymore. And she enjoyed every single bit of it.

She was tapping along his scales, tracing the path they made from his heart, along his shoulder and finally to his cheek, where her attention shifted to his face.

„You have no shame, do you?" he said with a smug grin.

„Why?" she copied his look.

„Just a few weeks ago you were berely able to hold my hand and now you're sitting on my lap and can't stop touching me."

„Is that a problem?"

„No," he laughed. „I was just wondering. It doesn't bother me in the slightest."

That said, he put his hand on her cheek and pulled her in to a kiss. Even though she should be used to the sensation by now, the sparks their touches created were as addicting as ever. She needed more of it, more of him. She leaned closer to him, making him support himself on his arms when they got closer to the ground. Lyra was a little shocked when she caught her own thoughts about what she wanted to do next, but only giggled at it in her mind. She was brought up to behave modest and shy, but she never listened to anything adults said anyway. So she decided to take it a step further.

She moved her hands to his shoulders attempting to push him completely on the ground. He resisted at first, but then let her be. He answered her action by wrapping his arms around her waist.

This was exactly what Lyra wanted. Being able to control their pace. Now there was just one thing left to do.

She licked his lips to make him open them. He did, but once she tried to entangle her tongue with his, he got startled and broke the kiss. Both were panting and looked at each other in confusion.

„I-I'm sorry, I didn't expect this, so I got startled and..." he tried to find the right words, but was interrupted by Lyras also rushed words.

„N-no, I should be sorry. I thought I could take a step further. I didn't knew you weren't ready yet."

She straigthened herself and tried to push her hair out of her face, while Turquoise supported himslef on his arms again.

„No, well, that's...A-anyway, I think you should go home now."

Lyra hadn't realized how low the sun already was, so she was surprised and hurried off of his lap. Both were blushing ashamed, they hadn't been lovers for very long now, so a little shyness still remained.

Lyra didn't have much with her when she arrived, so she was quick in gathering her things. She hesitated a bit when she was ready.

„Well, see you tomorrow then."

„Yes, see you tomorrow."

She went with a little triumphant smile and was soon out of sight, leaving Turquoise alone. He waited a bit to be sure she wouldn't come back, before his own smile faded and he let himself fall back on the sand with a muffled „Shit..." He covered his eyes with his arms and bit his lip. Once in a while a swear left his throat. He lay like that until the heat in his cheeks cooled off and he's be able to think clearly.

This isn't what he wanted. In some way it was, but his logic knew he should stop. Lyra might have thought, that being together with him wouldn't be more than a thrilling experience. She didn't grasp the danger she put herself in.

Because, no matter how much Turquoise said he'd be different, he was powerless against his instincts.

No one seemed to have noticed Lyras absence. Again. Her mother did a good job covering for her. It was already dark when she came home. She expected to see her father scolding her for being late, but she was only greeted by her mother.

„Where's dad?"

„He's still in the counsel meeting. Seems to be something important today."

She thought about what topic could be so important to extend the meeting. This didn't happen that often. With a mumbled „Mmh..." she put her thin summer coat aside and started helping her mother preparing dinner.

„Anyway, you're pretty late today. Did something happen?" she said with an expecting grin.

„Err, no. Not really." That was a lie though.

She remembered her attempt to go further with him and it made her blush. This didn't go unnoticed.

„Really? You didn't do anything _inappropriate _with him, did you?"

„O-of course not!" Her cheeks grew redder at the thought of what they could do together. Not that it would be possible. Unfortunately.

Her mother nodded and believed her daughter. For all the trouble Lyra usually caused and for all the lies she has told, she knew the consequences of a night of fun and being an unmarried, pregnant woman.

The door suddenly flew open and her father entered the room. He threw his jacket on his chair and sighed deeply when he let himself fall on the same. He didn't seem to be in a good mood. Without being asked her mother prepared some tea for him while she started to ask.

„You're late. What did you discuss in the meeting?"

Her father ignored the tea her mother put in front of him and sighed annoyed.

„These stupid sailors with their stupid meeting took so long because they spilled nonsense."

„What nonsense?"

„Monsters of the sea, creatures of legends, mermaids_. _Nonsense."

_Mermaids_ got Lyras attention.

„Why did they talk about that? Is it because of the recent attacks?"

„Yeah." He inhaled to start the summary of todays meeting.

„We wanted to talk about countermeasures. On how to deal with those attackers. And they kep interrupting us with their stories. Being out at the sea seems to make you crazy." He laughed quietly and finally took a sip of his tea, when Lyra interrupted the conversation.

„And what did you agree on?"

Her father stopped in the middle of his movement and stared at her. She wasn't able to interpret his expression, which made her nervous. It took a while until he stopped judging her and put away the cup.

„Since we more or less know were those attackers are probably hiding, we'll form a team of our best fighters to get rid of them. We can't let any more of us die. They'll have to go."

She had to repeat his last words in her head over and over again until it finally began to sink in.

„And when will you head out?"

„There's still a lot to do. Summer's about to end and the fields haven't been completely harvested yet. And there's also the festival to prepare. So before that isn't done, no ship will set sail."

This made her relax a little. So she had still time to warn Turquoise.

She finished her chores as soon as possible the next day, to be able to tell him about the danger he was in. Panting heavily she finally reached the beach. Turquoise had been hiding behind the rock again, but once he saw her, he jumped on it.

„Lyra? What's wrong?"

She held out a hand to signalize him she needed afew more seconds. He waited nervously.

„There's something important I have to tell you."

„What is it?"

Lyra took another deep breath and settled on the sand. He did the same after hopping skillfully off the rock. He stared at her in worry and wanted her to continue. He realized that something was off.

Lyra didn't knew where to begin, so she simply said the first thing that came to her mind.

„You're in danger."

„What?"

„Or rather your people. You know...our ships have been attacked several times now and the ones coming back alive said, that they were attacked by mermaids. Now, it has been decided to...exterminate you."

Slowly his eyes were darkened by realization and horror. He looked away and muffled swears into his hand.

„But..."

His head went back to her in hopes of some good news.

„Turquoise...I want you to answer me honestly." She looked him straight in the eyes.

„Did you or your people really do this?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he looked away again and his face was filled with regret and other emotions she couldn't describe.

„Please answer me!"

She sat on her knees now to look him in the eyes, but he avoided her again.

„I'm sorry..."

„Did you-?!"

„No! No, really. I haven't killed a single person." That made her feel relieved.

„At least, not since I know you."

„So...you did kill someone?"

„Yes."

She had to sit down again and let this sink in. Her lover was a murderer and his kind even worse. But that isn't something she didn't expect.

„You can hate me if you want, I-"

„You're used to it, I know. But that's the reason I want to believe in you. That you're different."

She smiled at him to cheer him up, but the opposite happend. His face looked even more hurt.

„You shouldn't. I'm a murderer, a monster. I'm not different."

He said the last sentence slowly and clearly, so that Lyra might understand. She did, but still shook her head.

„But I know that you _want _to be different." She still smiled at him and slowly, his smile came back, too. A sad smile, but it made him feel better. She knew him too well sometimes.

„I guess I should go warn the others then."


End file.
